McDermott - "Still looking for that other safety"

[Niagara Dude]

17 hours ago, HappyDays said:

Bad sign for Bishop:

 

 

Bring back Power for one more season until Beane can correct the problem next offseason. Still early but Bishop looks like another Beanne bust  early round pick

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

He's missed massive chunks of development time in each of his 1st two seasons. It's a tremendous problem.

 

That is a problem, it's fair to point that out. But while he has been unlucky, at some point you kinda have to show what you have. We know it is a what have you done for me lately league!

[ProcessTruster]

18 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

 

I agree. They'd be nuts if they don't do it.  A patchwork secondary with Hamlin getting significant playing time is not the answer. 

Simmons wants $10m+ guaranteed.   Not happening with the Bills slightly over the cap right now.   It's literally impossible from a cap perspective unless they cut like 10 guys.  

[BillsPride12]

1 hour ago, Niagara Dude said:

Bring back Power for one more season until Beane can correct the problem next offseason. Still early but Bishop looks like another Beanne bust  early round pick

Power can barely play Defense in the NHL I wouldn't trust him at all playing Defense for the Bills 

[Chandler#81]

He needs to be looking for 2 Saftys

[SoonerBillsFan]

2 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

He needs to be looking for 2 Saftys

Never gonna happen, he has a love fest with Rapp

[BuffaloBillyG]

21 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

He needs to be looking for 2 Saftys

Agreed. The most disheartening thing about McD's statement is that it seems Rapp is entrenched. He's horrible. Graded out worse than Hamlin last year. 

1 hour ago, ProcessTruster said:

Simmons wants $10m+ guaranteed.   Not happening with the Bills slightly over the cap right now.   It's literally impossible from a cap perspective unless they cut like 10 guys.  

Not saying you're wrong, but I haven't seen anything stating Simmons wants $10M guarantee. Do you have a link or is this just projection from an armchair agent?

2 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

Bring back Power for one more season until Beane can correct the problem next offseason. Still early but Bishop looks like another Beanne bust  early round pick

I assume you mean Poyer. No thank you. He was toast last year in Miami and he was toast in his last year in Buffalo. Age/injury have caught him. 

[finn]

4 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

He's missed massive chunks of development time in each of his 1st two seasons. It's a tremendous problem.

It might not be time for a radical move, but if it is, is there a team out there with good safety depth who the Bills might trade with? And who can the Bills offer in a trade? 
 

Not sure if the salary cap makes a trade impossible, but I would be happy to give up several players for one good safety, including Epenesa, Anderson, Carter, and Ulofoshio. 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

14 hours ago, VW82 said:

That’s a different issue though I’d argue Hancock has outperformed Hamlin. Bishop was outperforming too before sustaining yet another injury. It looked to me like he rushed coming back due to McD’s comments.

 

Even hancock out-performing him doesn't really push hamlin off the roster.  Need 4, and i personally would want a backup who's played in the system.  Lewis is too small to play safety imo.  

[GunnerBill]

48 minutes ago, finn said:

It might not be time for a radical move, but if it is, is there a team out there with good safety depth who the Bills might trade with? And who can the Bills offer in a trade? 
 

Not sure if the salary cap makes a trade impossible, but I would be happy to give up several players for one good safety, including Epenesa, Anderson, Carter, and Ulofoshio. 

 

AJE might be swappable for a safety. RVD might too. But you'd be getting someone else's 3rd safety for either of those two players. Nobody is giving you a starter for a backup DE / OL. 

 

I doubt Anderson gets you more than a bottom of the roster player in return via trade and Carter and Eddie O are worthless in trade value.

 

[BillsPride12]

2 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Never gonna happen, he has a love fest with Rapp

Rapp is solid but Bishop/Hamlin is a liability 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

Damar Hamlin is not great, but cutting him would be monumentally stupid. At least with him we know the safety position won’t be a complete disaster. 

[SCBills]

The biggest frustration with Safety is that we’re likely going into the season with Rapp, Bishop, Hamlin, Hancock and Lewis.  
 

Cant really make a move this late in the game because it apparently takes a Masters Degree to learn how to play Safety here. 
 

Cant really make a move if there’s any belief in Bishop’s potential, because bringing in a starter would essentially be punting on his second season.  
 

And can’t really make a move in-season before the deadline, because see point 1 about how difficult it is to learn this defense, allegedly. 
 

So we have who we have and better hope it’s enough, because not much we can do about it now.  As opposed to most other positions where you can realistically bring in a guy and ramp him up over a few weeks. 

[Buffalo03]

21 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

I don't care WHO does it. I want someone to step up and take the position...not have someone as the starter by default.

 

Bishop, Hamlin, Lewis, heck even Hancock...I want someone to show they are the best. 

I agree. Heck is a hell of a player and deserves an opportunity 

[dave mcbride]

14 hours ago, Simon said:

 

C'mon, man.

In the 100+ year history of football, there has never been a defense where safety was anywhere near the most important position.

In the vast majority of defenses it's probably one of the 2-3 least important positions.

Agreed. Like you, I wish the safeties were better, but at the same time, when your shakiest positional group is safety, that's the definition of a first-world problem.

[billsfan89]

34 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Damar Hamlin is not great, but cutting him would be monumentally stupid. At least with him we know the safety position won’t be a complete disaster. 

 

I think if anyone is getting cut it is gonna be Forrest, seems like despite the experience he has he's been a complete non-factor. Hamlin has about 2 years of starting experience and he's at worst a quality backup caliber player. I would rather have Hamlin as a "steady hand" whose below average but at least makes most of the basic plays as he showed in 2024 than Forrest whose a non-factor. Cutting Hamlin whose also a willing and by all accounts solid ST player is also foolish. 

 

I get fans want someone better than Hamlin but there's other safeties on the roster who are worse...

[billsfan89]

7 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Agreed. Like you, I wish the safeties were better, but at the same time, when your shakiest positional group is safety, that's the definition of a first-world problem.

 

I think safety has become more important in the modern game given the increase in passing volume. But it's still a position where you could get by with competent play too. Mike Edwards was KC's starting safety in 2023 when KC had a very strong defense and he's the definition of a competent but not spectacular safety. While I am concerned about the safety play it's not like this team can't get by with Rapp a better than average starter and Hamlin a below average starter until they make a trade or get Bishop hopefully healthy and ready to contribute or get the rookie's feet wet either. It's not the glaring issue that I think people think it is at the moment. 

[CincyBillsFan]

16 hours ago, 3rdand12 said:

I am fine with Hamlin as the BU and situational.

 Hope for Hancock to become all he can be , in good time.

 

 

I am an Ohio State fan and I like Hancock.  But right now Bishop is the better option with a higher upside. 

 

And I don't understand all the hate directed at Bishop.  Sure he's had to many injuries which limited his development last season and this season.  And it may turn out he's injury prone which would be a shame as the Bills would have to move on from him.  But I thought he was solid and AVAILABLE late last season & during the playoffs.  It's not easy playing safety on a team with a poor pass rush.

 

 

[GunnerBill]

12 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

I am an Ohio State fan and I like Hancock.  But right now Bishop is the better option with a higher upside. 

 

And I don't understand all the hate directed at Bishop.  Sure he's had to many injuries which limited his development last season and this season.  And it may turn out he's injury prone which would be a shame as the Bills would have to move on from him.  But I thought he was solid and AVAILABLE late last season & during the playoffs.  It's not easy playing safety on a team with a poor pass rush.

 

 

 

He was solid against the run. He got much better against the run the more he played last year. But he was not solid in coverage. That has been a recurring problem. 

[tigerthelion]

1 hour ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Damar Hamlin is not great, but cutting him would be monumentally stupid. At least with him we know the safety position won’t be a complete disaster. 

The safety position is definitely a complete disaster with Hamlin.